The Guardian Page 5

  "Um, yeah, sure," I hedged. I was uncertain as to what I was supposed to reveal in regard to the men's claims that they were my Guardians. "Ter —” I cut myself off before his name fell from my lips, shaking my head in irritation. It was difficult trying to remember to speak about anyone without using their names.

  "I was told I could study these books, try and get a better understanding of fae history, culture, spellwork." Okay, I hadn't really been told that, but I thought it sounded pretty good. It was apparent that River took me for a witch, rather than for a fae, so I figured it was the easiest excuse. "Unfortunately, they don't really seem to be in order. Or in English."

  "Most fae books won't be, of course," River murmured, glancing at the shelves. "They always keep the books in such a jumble, with Reed constantly digging through one after the other. I'd be happy to help you search."

  "Um, why won't there be many books in English?" I figured the question was a gamble, but I couldn't help asking it. She was speaking English, in fact I hadn't heard any of them speak a separate language. I assumed that was why I had been so surprised to not find books in English.

  She blinked at me. "Well, because it isn't the fae tongue." I resisted the urge to grind my teeth together at the non-answer, keeping my silence in the hope that she'd fill in the blanks for me. "Fae's language abilities allow us to speak or read any language we are presented with, so long as our magic is strong enough." She wrinkled her nose in distaste. "Unfortunately, that's about all of the magical strength I have. It's why I'm in service rather than in training." Thank goodness for gossip, it was much easier getting information this way than trying to drag it out of one of the men.

  "Of course." I nodded, trying to act as though the whole thing made sense. "Well, if you don't mind, will you please help me search for ones that I can use? My own magic isn't that specialized, so unfortunately I'm limited to English at the moment."

  She bustled to the shelf, pulling book after book aside, muttering to herself about the state they were in. For someone who looked so fragile, she was remarkably strong, lifting and carrying the books without any issue. I gasped when she climbed onto the shelf itself, scaling them with a practiced ease.

  She chuckled, sending a sparkling smile at me over her shoulder. "It's easiest to reach the upper shelves, rather than trying to find a stool. Reed is..." She hesitated, and I realized she was probably apprehensive of her behaviors and speech around me in regard to the men.

  "A beanpole who can reach with ease?" I offered up dryly, trying to put her at ease.

  Another smile was my reward. "I was going to say typical. He uses his magic to call down whatever book he needs, then just tosses them back to the shelf rather than refiling them. I used to organize the books daily, but it got tedious after a while. Now I simply let chaos reign and pray nothing falls on my head. Ah, here we are!" She crowed triumphantly, scrambling down the shelves with reckless abandon. She held out a dusty volume, thick and musty, wrapped in peeling leather. "I knew there was at least one history up here."

  "Thanks," I murmured with awe, knowing it would have taken me ages to find that book, if I had ever managed to find it at all.

  "Of course!" She hesitated, looking unsure of herself. "Can I help in some other way? I don't want to interfere with your studies."

  I considered her, weighing my words carefully. "I'm unsure of how the rankings work here, or how your history is taught." I tried to speak generally, hoping not to be caught in a lie and give myself away. "I'm trying to find information on anyone who is both witch and fae, see what legends exist about them, what powers they had, how they relate to the Guardians."

  She tilted her head, analyzing my words as she thought. "I think my grandmother once told me stories of a fae and witch hybrid. They're so rare, and the legends are mixed. Especially with the Queen's interference, of course." She whispered the last words, her eyes wide and almost frightened, as though she was taking a great chance in speaking them.

  "How would you feel about teaming up for some answers, then?" My fingers itched to dive into the books, to try and figure out any of the secrets they contained. "I can't read the fae books, but you can. I'm not sure how I can pay you for your help though." I admitted the last part with a shrug.

  "As long as you tell the Guardians I was helping you, it doesn't matter what you need help with." River’s focus strayed to the books as though she couldn't wait to read them. "Most guests or Guardians need my help for housekeeping or care tasks, drawing baths, tidying up, and the like. I'd be happy to help you with any of your research, if you're willing."

  The awe in her voice was palpable, as though she couldn't quite believe this opportunity was being presented to her. I couldn't blame her. I was in as much of a state of shock as she was.

  "Well, then team members it is. If there's anything on hybrids, or multi-hued magic, anything like that, flag it for me." I glanced around, striding to a desk that held stacks of paper and writing utensils. Notes were scrawled on many of the pages and I shoved them aside, digging out fresh sheets and grabbing pencils for us both.

  "Here we go. Make a note of what you find, where you found it, roughly translate it for me if you can?" I wasn't quite sure how her magic would work, but it seemed logical that she'd be able to translate to paper as well. She nodded, clapping her hands as she considered the shelves. "Let's see what we can find."

  Hours seemed to pass, and yet I found little of the information I sought. The crystal book was informative, and I was happy to realize I had retained quite a bit of the knowledge my mother had passed on to me. Crystal properties and qualities played through my mind with ease, like familiar song lyrics or half-forgotten games. I had swept a few of the little crystals that were displayed on the bookcase and the coffee table into my pocket, rolling them between my fingertips as I tried to identify each one by touch alone, the way my mother had taught me.

  The history was harder to dig through, dry and boring with vague descriptions and limited details. I growled, resisting the urge to slam the book shut. The only references I had found to hybrids included their rarity and that they were tied to a prophecy. It seemed that the author of the book just assumed the reader would have knowledge of what this meant and had forgone the need to include anything else in its place, even so far as a footnote. I shoved to my feet, stretching out muscles that were tense and sore after sitting for so long.

  "Are you hungry?" River spoke up from her own curled position on the arm chair, where she had been raptly buried in her own research.

  I paused for a moment, not sure if I wanted to take a break. I had expected one of the men to be back by now with answers, or at least the option for me to return home in time for work. It's not that I enjoyed cleaning houses, really, though I appreciated a job well done and knowing I was helping someone and earning a living. I simply didn't want to have to deal with finding another job when my savings was already barely existent. I didn't have my cell phone on me and had never taken up the habit of wearing a watch, so I had no idea if it was close to a meal time.

  My stomach growled, giving me away before I could deny it. "I could eat," I admitted, wanting to kick myself. I hadn't eaten since before I had found Mom, and I had no idea how long ago that was at this point. My chest ached, and I resisted the urge to burst into tears at the thought of her lying unclaimed in a hospital morgue. I hadn't been sure how I was going to pay for the cremation, despite it being the cheapest option we had.

  "I'll be just a minute." She popped up from her seat, apparently not at all stiff herself, despite sitting for so long. I definitely had my doubts now about being part fae, I didn't seem to have any of the benefits they did.

  "Can I come?" I asked, hesitant. I doubted that was what any of the men had in mind when they'd asked me to stay here, but I couldn't stand staying cooped up. I needed to walk around, explore, try and process some of the information that was now crowding my brain.

  She blinked at me, apparently shocked by the question. "You
want to come to the kitchens?" I assumed that wasn't a request she normally got.

  "If it's not a bother." I tried a nonchalant shrug, but from her blank expression it either didn't work or it was a human gesture she was unfamiliar with.

  "You're welcome to join me if you wish, of course." She studied me intently now, confused and possibly concerned.

  "I need to stretch my legs. Try and clear my mind." I hoped admitting it would make me seem less of a threat to her.

  At this she nodded, as though it was clearer and more acceptable. "Good. Calm mind, calm heart, clear intentions. Center yourself. Try again." I stumbled, gaping at her a little as my mother's often repeated words fell from her lips.

  "What?" I could only manage the one word, so shocked to have heard her mantra when I wasn't expecting it. My mother had said the same thing to me so many times when I was a child the words were nearly a lullaby.

  River blinked at me. "The witch mantra?" She pressed a finger to her lips, muttering the words under her breath as if reviewing them. "Did I get it wrong?"

  "No. No, it just took me by surprise hearing someone else say it." I cleared my throat, forcing back tears with an act of will. Now wasn't the time to cry, especially not in front of anyone. I had cried for my mother for years, for the false reality she lived in. I was done with tears, it was time for action. I let the anger and hurt fill me, let it burn away the tears that wanted to fall. "Ready?"

  River pulled open the door, heading down a hallway paneled in wood and carved with inlays. Nature scenes abounded, each one more detailed than the last. Birds looked as though they could fly directly out of the wood and land on my palm, while trees seemed to sway in an unseen breeze.

  "So beautiful." I murmured the words low, unable to tear my eyes away from the sight.

  River glanced at the walls, seemingly unphased by them. "Yes, they did a good job when they created these."

  I could only stare after her as she strode briskly forward. I couldn't imagine having magic become so commonplace that something as beautifully intricate as those walls would be nothing more than something to brush aside.

  Doors of carved wood and stone wound through corridor after corridor. I was surprised not to hear or see anyone, though I wasn't exactly sure what I was expecting. Hordes of fae children running wild after school? Hulking, menacing warriors glaring at me from the corners?

  I stumbled over my feet when a window caught my attention. My heart leapt into my throat, my hands clenching tight as I approached. Would there be purple skies and red grass? Multiple suns? I bit the inside of my cheek, trying to focus my mind for whatever would come.

  "It's... normal." I was in awe, the view out of the window finally visible. We were clearly isolated, large oak trees and flowering plants dotted the landscape. Large, wooden buildings stood sentry in the distance, only barely visible amongst the forest.

  "Of course it's normal." River's confused, cautious voice rang out ahead of me. She watched me with serious eyes, wringing her hands slightly, and I wondered for a moment if maybe I had scared her a little. "Are you all right, Tori? You seem a little, um, confused?"

  "I'm fine." Surprisingly, I was disappointed that the Fae Realm looked exactly like ours. Everything was such a large shift for me I expected the physical world around me would have shifted as well.

  "You'll feel better once you eat." River held out a hand to guide me. "Witches must be very different indeed." She murmured the last words to herself with a shake of her head. I couldn't help but feel amused that she was judging witches by my human behavior. The poor girl was going to end up confused later in her life if she ever ran into another witch.

  6

  River pulled me into a warm, airy room, the ceilings high and the windows open to let in the cool, fresh breeze. I had forgotten what it was like to be anywhere that I could have the windows open without the buzz of traffic and the stink of exhaust filling the room. I brushed at my shirt and leggings, conscious now of the wrinkled, musty state that they were in after being hauled through dimensions and curling up to sleep.

  "It's so rare for us to have guests." River's bubbly voice was enough to make me smile as she tugged at my arm to encourage me to follow. "Guardians tend to stick to themselves, always so solemn." She shook her head, and I could see a small pout forming on her lips. "Let's get some food in you, we can sit and chat while we eat." She led me to a table laid out with fresh fruits and vegetables, stacks of sandwiches, and pastries that were so delicate they qualified more as art than food to me.

  "This is for us to eat?" I couldn't keep the awe out of my voice. Even on my best day, having a spread like this in front of me was something that I could only have dreamt of. Days where I had gone to bed with a gnawing ache in my stomach rather than food had happened more frequently than I preferred to think of. Easy access to all of this was almost as magical as the way the crystals lit up when I held them.

  "Most of the Guardians keep odd hours," River explained as she began to fill her own plate. "Set meal times do not make sense here. We have found it is easiest to always have food on hand for those who are hungry and allow helpers to arrange special food for anyone so inclined."

  I was too distracted piling my plate to do more than nod in response to her words. After seeing the food in front of me, my stomach had moved from growling to a downright ache. I bit into a sandwich of thick bread, sharp cheese, and some kind of salad and groaned in satisfaction at the flavor. I wasn't sure who cooked here, but I would be thanking them over and over again.

  This was far better than the stale ramen I had planned for myself for dinner last night. I followed her to a table near the window, focusing solely on the sandwich in my hand. It was a bit of a personal flaw, but when food came into play I was very easily distracted.

  "I'm sorry we haven't found what you're looking for yet. How many days are you staying? Have they decided what rooms they're putting you in yet?" I didn't feel quite so guilty digging with gusto into the food when I realized that River was enjoying hers nearly as much as I. Well, that was one thing we had in common — witch, fae, or human. I groaned when I bit into one of the little cakes, the burst of sugar across my tongue a balm to my senses after the stress of all of these events.

  "I'm not quite sure how long I'm staying," I admitted. "I'm waiting on them to decide, really." A whirl of air behind me was followed by the sharp, rapid click of boots on the stone floor. Rough hands gripped my upper arm, tugged me hard and made me drop the little cake I had been enjoying.

  "Hey!" I was more indignant about the loss of the cake than someone holding my arm in a death grip, which I assumed said something fairly twisted about my personality.

  "What are you doing here?" The man gripping me growled the words, his hand squeezing tight enough to grind the bone as he yanked me out of my seat.

  I assumed he would be attractive if he wasn't glaring at me, his mouth twisted in a grimace, lines of irritation and anger digging deep into the tan skin of his face. His bright blue eyes were hard and flat as flint, his white blonde hair falling artfully across his forehead as though he had taken the time to arrange it before grabbing me.

  "Birch, you can't grab an emissary that way!" River's voice was horrified but quiet. Her hands were quaking as she raised them in entreaty towards the man who held me.

  "Quiet," he snapped at her. "You forget your place, River. How dare you address a Guardian informally?" River bowed her head, pressing her folded hands into her abdomen and falling silent. Rage bubbled up inside of me, pushing away any fear and the edge of pain from where he held me.

  "Her place is not any of your concern." I hated anyone who tried to make people feel smaller than them, just because they believe themselves to be of a better or separate class. "She was eating lunch with me."

  Birch sneered, shaking my arm. "Silence. What are you doing here?"

  I arched a brow, deliberately smirking at him. "How can I be silent and still explain what I'm doing here?"

  "
Upstart," he growled, shaking me again. "You are in the Guardian's Hold. You will treat me with the proper respect."

  "I thought you Guardians were supposed to be protectors?" I knew my arm would be bruised from his grip, but I truly couldn't stand a bully. River had done absolutely nothing wrong, yet she was shaking like a leaf, her skin translucent and beaded with a fearful sweat; she looked as terrified as if she'd been told she was about to get beaten. From the way this asshole was handling me, I wouldn't be shocked if he did take a swing at her.

  "Enough games." He raised his free hand, orange, sparkling light wreathing it in a bright glow. River hissed, flinching away from the light. Well then, I could assume that whatever he planned to do with that would hurt.

  "You can't hurt an emissary." River tried again, her musical voice a broken quiver. My heart squeezed tight in my chest at her attempt to protect me despite her fear. Birch flung his hand toward River, the orange light lashing out to strike her. It didn't make a sound but the welt that formed was bright against her tender skin.

  "Asshole." The word dropped from my lips and, as hard and as fast as I could, I brought my knee up, nailing him directly in the balls. He crumpled, gasping as the orange glow faded from the hands he now used to protectively cup himself. I strode toward River, placing myself in front of her as a wall. "You owe her an apology or that won't be the last time I kick you in the balls," I warned him, stroking a soothing hand down River's arm. The silent tears streaming down her face were enough to make me want to stab the fool on his knees in front of me.

  "You dare to hit a Guardian?" Birch choked out, glaring up at me as he continued to cradle himself. Idly I wondered what kind of training Guardians underwent. I would have expected a prominent warrior to be able to handle a ball shot better.

  "Not my Guardian, not my problem," I offered with a shrug. "I wasn't joking about the apology." I swung my foot casually, watching as his eyes connected with it and his hand cupped himself firmer. Big baby.